A study conducted by the University of Wisconsin Public Health Institute, shows Ector and Midland counties ranking in the top 20 counties in Texas with the largest spike in STD’s.
Ector’s Chlamydia case count coming in at 1,045, a 2.16 increase from the last study. Midland’s count; 950 resulting a 1.69 increase.
Both Ector and Midland’s health departments attributed causes to an influx in populations and an overwhelming increase in patients seeking STD testing since Planned Parenthood left the Basin in 2011.
Gino Solla, Ector County Health Department Director says, “I submit numbers and show the increase how the work load has increased from 2011 to 2015 as our last report we have doubled the amount of patients we see for sexually transmitted diseases.”
He goes on to mention that they have been working with the same amount of resources and staff since 2011, when they had seen about 886 patients seeking STD testing and treatment. In 2015, they saw 1,547 patients seeking sexually transmitted disease testing and treatment. This now taking a toll on the limited resources in Ector County.
“More hours are really being allocated to the STDs, you’re doing more with the same amount of resources,” says Solla.
A usual vaccination visit at the Health Department takes about 15 minutes. “When they come in for STD exams, by the time you conduct their exam, take the sample go to the lab, which we have in house. Administer the procedure and then educate and then treat them, it’s a one hour procedure,” says Solla. With an 8 hour work day, this spike in patients seeking STD testing allocates less time to patients seeking other medical attention.
Over in Midland, their health department see’s this increase in STD’s a reflection of the population.
“The numbers have increased but it’s not just the young, it’s everybody. Then younger and the middle aged and the older population too also,” says Celestio Garcia, Midland Health Department Manager.
Though the numbers are staggering for the limited resources at the Health Departments, officials say when people can’t afford their health needs, they expect these spikes in disease and illness.
“I would probably say that each STD positive person who comes in for a test… they’re are probably 2 or 3 out there that could have something that don’t come in,” says Gino Solla, Ector COunty Health Department Director.
In Ector County, their temporary solution for those needing care in Ector County if the Health Department is at max capacity? Healthcare Vouchers.
“If they come and really make a case to us that they can’t afford it. We can refer them to a private lab we have some gift card that will help them financially,” says Solla.
(Information from YourBasin.com)
